Mining machine having auxiliary cutters driven from rear of drum support



May 9, 1967 1. KlLBoURNE MINING MACHINE HAVING AUXILIARY CUTTERS DRIVENFROM REAR OF DRUM SUPPORT Filed Aug. 17, 1964 5 Sheets-Sheet lINI/ENTOR;

JAMES KILBOUEN E,

HTTo/PNEY,

J. KILBOURNE 3,318,638 NING MACHINE HAVING AUXILIARY CUTTERS DRIVEN May9, 1967 FROM HEAR OF DRUM SUPPORT 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Aug. 17, 1964INVENTOR; .JAMES KnouRNE,

May 9, 1967 J. KILBOURNE 3,318,638

MNING MACHNE HAVING AUXILIARY CUTTERS DRIVEN FROM REAR OF DRUM SUPPORTFiled Aug. 17, 1964 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Y (im HTTO/PNEY United StatesPatent 3,318,638 MINING MACHINE HAVING AUXILIARY CUTTERS DRIVEN FROMREAR OF DRUM SUPPORT James Kilboume, Bexley, Ohio, assignor to JeffreyGalion Manufacturing Company, a corporation of Ohio Filed Aug. 17, 1964,Ser. No. 390,040 12 Claims. (Cl. 299-76) The instant invention relatesto mining apparatus, and to the mechanism by which such mining apparatusis driven.

It is an object of the instant invention to provide an improved miningapparatus which is advanced into a mine face to remove materialtherefrom, and in which the cutting and breaking means is operable aboutan axis that is transversely disposed with respect to the direction ofadvance of the mining apparatus. The drive means for the cutting andbreaking means is connected to the latter on the transverse axis at aposition intermediate the ends of the same. An auxiliary cutting andbreaking means is provided, and is operative in the area of the drivingconnection to the cutting and breaking means, to span this area and toprovide cutting and breaking means across the full width of the miningapparatus.

Other objects of the invention will appear hereinafter, the novelfeatures and combinations being set forth in the appended claims.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of a mining machine incorporating themining apparatus of this invention;

FIG. 2 is a plan View of the mining machine illustrated in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a plan View, in section, of the mining apparatus of thisinvention, taken on the line 3 3 in FIG. l;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view of the mining apparatus, taken on the line 44 in FIG. 3; and

FIG. 5 is a plan view of the auxiliary cutting and breaking means.

Referring to the drawings, there is illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2 amining machine 10 which incorporates the mining apparatus 11 of thisinvention. The mining machine may be of the continuous type in which themining apparatus 11 is disposed at the forward end thereof to beadvanced into a mine face for cutting and breaking material out of suchface. The mining machine 10 is supported on endless traction treads 12,12, which are disposed one at each side of the machine and are suitablydriven lfor propelling the mining machine 10.

A gathering means 13 is also disposed at the forward end of the miningmachine 10. The gathering means 13 comprises an apron or deck 14 whichslopes downwardly to the mine floor. Two gathering arms 15, 15 aremounted on the apron or deck 14, one -at each side thereof, and operatewith a sweeping motion to gather the mined material from the mine flooronto the apron 14 and to crowd the same into the chain and flightconveyor 16 which extends from the forward end `of the mining machine 10to the rear end thereof, at which there is la discharge boom 17 fromwhich the material is discharged.

The gathering means 13 may be adjusted upwardly and downwardly to followan uneven mine oor and thereby to maint-ain the leading edge of theapron or deck 14 on the mine oor for maximum effectiveness in loadingthe mined material into the conveyor 16. The discharge boom 17 isadjustable upwardly and downwardly and from side to side for directingthe discharge of mined material from the mining machine 10.

The mining machine 10 has a boom 18 comprising side arms 19, 19 whichare disposed in laterally spaced positions, approximately in alignmentwith the opposite sides FJice of the conveyor 16. The rear end of eachside arm 19 is connected to the main frame 23 of the mining machine 10by pivot support means 20, on which the boom 18 may be raised andlowered, and which additionally provide support for the load of themining apparatus 11. A transverse reinforcing member 21 extends betweenthe side arms 19, 19 and is secured thereto to provide the boom 18 withthe requisite rigidity. Two cylinder and piston devices 22, 22 aredisposed one at each side of the mining machine 10. These are secured tothe mining machine main frame 23 and extend upwardly and forwardlytherefrom to the boom 18, and are secured to the latter on suitablebifurcated brackets 24, 24, one at each side of the boom 18. Thecylinder and piston devices 22, 22 are extensible and retractable toraise and lower the boom 18 and the mining apparatus 11.

Referring now to FIGS. 3 and 4, there is illustrated therein the miningapparatus 11 and the forward end of the boom 18 on which it is mounted.This structure is symmetrical -about the longitudinal center line -ofthe mining machine 10, and accordingly, FIG. 3 only illustrates thestructure at one side of the mining machine 10, it being understood thatthe structure at the other side thereof is identical, except that it isoppositely arranged. Accordingly, the description will proceed in thesingular with respect to the structure illustrated in FIG. 3, with theunderstanding that the description applies equally to the like structureat the vother side of the longitudinal center line of the mining machine10.

The mining apparatus 11 is secured to the boom 18 by engagement ofrearwardly extending arms of a drive housing and main support 25 withthe side arms 19, 19 ofthe boom 18, and is secured thereto by 4aplurality of bolts 26 or the like.

The mining apparatus 11 is driven from the motors 27, 27, which aredisposed one at each side of the mining machine 18. The drive from themotors 27, 27 is delivered to transmissions 2S, 28, and thence tounivers-al shafts 29, 29. Each universal shaft 29 is connected to adrive shaft 30, which is rotatably mounted in the drive housing and mainsupport 25, as seen in FIG. 3.

The end of the drive shaft 30 is formed with a bevel pinion 31 whichengages a bevel gear 32 to drive the latter. The bevel gear 32 isrotatably mounted in the main support 25. The bevel gear 32 is securedto a hollow shaft 33, which extends laterally outwardly from the bevelgear 32 and is rotatably supported in the main support 25. The hollowshaft 33 is connected to a clutch 34, which is rotatably supported inthe lateral housing extension 35 of the main support 25. The clutch 34connects the shaft 33 to a shaft 36 which extends laterally inwardlyfrom the clutch 34. The shaft 36 extends through the hollow shaft 33 andbeyond the bevel gear 32, and is connected to a pinion 37 that isrotatably supported in the main support 25.

The main support 25 has a forward housing extension and support member38. A reach gear 39 engages the pinion 37. The reach gear 39 isrotatably mounted in the forward housing extension 38 on a shaft 40. Thereach gear 39 in turn engages a driven gear 41 to drive the latter. Thedriven gear 41 is iixedly secured to a rotatable shaft 42 that has itsaxis disposed transversely with respect to the longitudinal center lineof the mining machine 10. The shaft 42 is supported by the forwardhousing extension and support member 38 and is rotatable with respect tothe latter on a bearing 43, the member 38 being a xed support for thetransverse rotatable shaft 42. The driven gear 41 connects the drivemeans to the shaft 42.

The rotatable shaft 42 supports the cutting and breaking means `of themining apparatus 11. A split collar 45 is fixedly secured to the shaft42 at the longitudinal center line of the mining machine 10. A circularflange member 46 has a hub 47 by which it is xedly secured to the shaft42. The circular ange member 46 is placed adjacent to one side of thesupport member 38. A circular frame 48 is secured to the circular flangemember 46 by a plurality of bolts 49 or the like. The frame 48 is formedwith a plurality of bit holders 50, in each of which there is secured abit 51. The bits 51 are disposed in an imaginary cylindrical surface,and the transverse disposition thereof spans the distance between thecircular ange member 46 and the longitudinal center line of the miningmachine 10. The bit holders 50 and their bits 51 are an intermediatecutting and breaking means which is operative between the two forwardhousing extensions and support members 38, 38, as seen in FIG. 2.

l At the youter side of the support member 38 there is a circular angemember 55 which is disposed closely adjacent to the support member 38.The circular ange member 55 has a laterally extending web 56 by which itis connected to a hub 57. The hub 57 is iiXedly secured to the shaft 42,whereby the circular flange member 55 is rotatable with the shaft 42. Asleeve 58 is also xedly secured. to the sha-ft 42 to be rotatabletherewith and is interposed between the bearing 43 and the hub 57. Thesleeve 58 abuts the bearing 43, and the hub 57 abuts the sleeve 58. Theseveral Velements are maintained in assembly on the shaft 42 by a locknut 59 which is threaded on the shaft 42 against the hub 57` Acylindrical shell 60 is supported on the laterally extending web 56 ofthe circular flange member 55. At

VVthe inner end of the cylindrical shell 60 there is a radial flange 61which abuts the circular ange member 55 and is secured thereto by aplurality of bolts 62 or the like. The cylindrical shell 60 extendsoutwardly from the circular flange member 55 along the shaft 42 andsupports a portion `of the outer cutting and 4breaking -means of themining apparatus 11. Such cutting and breaking means comprises twospiral flights 63, 64 which are secured to the cylindrical shell 60 toprovide a double pitch spiral conveying or feeding means, which isoperative to feed the Imined material in towards the longitudinal centerline of the -mining machine 10 to facilitate the gathering and theloading of the mined material into the conveyor 16. A plurality of bitholders 65 are secured to the peripheral edges of the spiral flights 63,64 at spaced positions, and a bit 66 is secured in each bit holder 65.also disposed in an imaginary cylindrical surface, which is coincidentwith the imaginary cylindrical surface in which the bits 51 aredisposed.

At the outer end of the cylindrical shell 60 there are a plurality ofbit holders 67 and bits 68, which extend somewhat beyond the end of theycylindrical shell 60. These bit holders 67 and bits 68 are disposed ingroups at spaced circumferential positions, of which there may be fourgroups. The bits 68 are disposed in the same imaginary cylindricalsurface as the bits 51, 66.

At the outer end of the shaft 42 there is a sleeve 70 that is slidablymounted on the shaft 42, and is rotatably fixed with respect to thelatter. The sleeve 70 may have a splined or keyed connection to the endof the shaft 42 for sliding :movement relatively to the latter. An endcutting and breaking means has a -disc-like element 71 formed with a hub72 which is received on the end of the sleeve 70. An end cap 73issecured to the end of the sleeve 70 by a plurality of bolts 74 or thelike, and engages the end disc element 71 to iixedly secure it on thesleeve 70.Y A plurality of bit holders 75 are secured to the end discelement 71 on the periphery thereof, and each bit holder 75 has a bit 76secured therein and extending radially outwardly. The bit holders 75 aredisposed in groups, of which there may be four in number, and these aredisposed at equally spacedV positions around the periphery `of the enddisc element 71. The bit holders 75 and the bits 76 in each group aredisposed at laterally The bits 66 are spaced positions so as to have acutting and breaking effectiveness along a transverse distance. Theseveral groups of :bit holders and bits 76 are alternated with thecircumferential disposition of the several groups of bit holders 67 andbits `68.

The sleeve 70 is illustrated in FIG. 3 in its outermost position on theshaft 42. The sleeve 70 and the end disc element 71 may be withdrawnwith respect to the cylindrical shell 60 to contract the rotary cuttingand breaking means, whereby the width thereof along the transverse axisis reduced. Movement of the sleeve 70.along the shaft 42 may be effectedby a plurality of cylinder and piston devices 77, which are disposedwithin the cylindrical shell 60 and are secured to the web 56 of Vthecircular flan-ge member 55, and to the sleeve 70. Retraction of the enddisc element 71 places it adjacent to the end of the cylindrical shell`60, as seen in phantom lines in FIG. 3. The several groups of bitholders 75 and their Vbits 76 overlap the outer end of the cylindricalshell 60 and t between the groups of bit holders 67 and bits 68 that aresecured thereto. The cylinder and piston devices 77 may be hydraulicallyoperated, and hydraulic connections, for applying hydraulic iluid underpressure to the cylinder and piston devices 77, maybe elfected throughthe support member 38 and the sleeve 58, with these elements forming arotary hydraulic joint, and direct hydraulic connections may be madefrom the sleeve 58 to. the cylinder and piston devices 77.

The cutting and breaking means which has been described thus far has itsbits 51, 66, 76 disposed in a common imaginary cylindrical surface, witheach bit traveling in a circular path upon rotation 4of the shaft 42.YSuch rotary cutting and breaking `means is the main or prime cuttingand breaking means of the minin-g apparatus 11. The portion thereofdisposed between the support mem' bers 38, 38 is the intermediateportion of the main cutting and breaking means, and the portion thereofwhich' is disposed laterally outwardlyof the support mem-ber 38 is theouter portion of the main cutting and breaking means, there being twosuch outer portions, as seen in FIG. 2.

By reason of the support -member 38, on which the shaft 42 and therotary cutting and breakingmeans is supported, and in which the driveconnection is effected to the shaft 42 on its transverse axis, there isa `gap between the intermediate cutting and breaking means and eachouter cutting and breaking means, in which the main cutting and breakingmeans is not operative. Such gap is filled by an auxiliary or secondarycutting and breaking means comprising an endless, flexible chain type of.The endless chain cutting and breaking means cornprises a plurality ofblock links 81 which have a crosslike form, as best seen in FIG. 5. Apair of side bars 82, 82 are disposed between each pair of block links81, 81 and are `laterally spaced to receive the ends of the blocks links81, 81 therebetween. A transverse pin 83 extends through each end of ablock link 81 and the ad- Jacent ends of the side bars 82, 82. The pin83 may be xedly secured to the side bars 82, 82 by a roll pin 84 or-Vlike means. The pin 83 is freely pivotal in an end of ablock link 81,thereby forming, in each case, an articulated connection between a blocklink 81 and the 82, 82.

The endless chain cutting and lbreaking means has a plurality of cuttingand breaking bits 85, which are secured in the block links `81 and theside bars 82. In block link 81a the bit 85 is secured at one side of thelongitudinal centerline, and in block link 81b the bit 85 is secured atthe opposite side of the longitudinal center line. Block link 81C isdisposed intermediate block links side bars Y 31a, 81h, and it has a bit85 secured thereto on the longitudinal center line.

A side bar 82a is connected to block link 81a and has a bit 85 securedthereto. A side bar 82b is secured to the block link 81b, and it alsohas a bit 85 secured thereto. Thus, there are ve cutting and breakingbits S secured to the block links 81a, 81b, 81e, and to the side bars82a, 8217, with these live bits 85 being disposed at five laterallyspaced positions to provide cutting bits 85 across the full width of theendless chain cutting and breaking means 80. This pattern of dispositionof bits 85 repeats itself yfor the full length of the endless chaincutting and breaking means 80. The cutting and breaking :bits 85, asthus disposed in laterally spaced disposition across the endless chaincutting and breaking means 80 effectively till the gap over the forwardhousing extension and support member 38, and between the intermediateportion and the outer portion of the cutting and breaking means.

The forward housing extension and support member 38 includes an arcuateguiding and supporting surface 86, asbest seen in FIGS. 3 and 4. Thearcuate guiding and supporting surface is formed as a portion of acylinder, having its axis coincident with the axis of the transverseshaft 42. At each side of the yguiding and supporting surface 86 thereis a radially extending flange 87 to form with the guiding andsupporting surface 86 an arcuate track, within which the endless chaincutting and breaking means 80 is operated. The links 81 and the sidebars 82 of the endless 4chain cutting and breaking means 80 are seated`on the guiding and supporting surface 86 and bear against the latter.With the cutting and breaking means 80 disposed on the surface 86, thebits 85 are disposed in the same imaginary cylindrical surface as thebits 51, 66, 76, for uniform cutting and breaking action on the materialof the mine face.

The main support is formed with a cavity 90 behind the support members38, 38. Each endless chain cutting and breaking means 80, 80 has a paththat extends aroundr a support member 38, with a portion of a cuttingand breaking means 80 bein-g disposed on the arcuate guiding andsupporting surface 86, and through the cavity 90, as seen in FIGS. 3 and4. Within the cavity 90 there are two bifurcated supports 91, 91 whichare laterally spaced from each other and extend rearwardly behind eachsupport member 3S. A bearing block 92 is slidably supported in thebifurcated supports 91, 91. A screw 93 is threadedly engaged with thebearing block 92 and abuts the main support 25. The position of thebearing block 92 on the supports 91, 91 may be adjusted by rotation ofthe screw 93. A shaft 94 is rotatably supported in the bearing block 92.The bearing block 92 is bifurcated, whereby a portion of shaft 94 isexposed in the bearing block 92 for mounting a sprocket wheel 95 on theshaft 94 Within the bearing block 92. The teeth of the sprocket wheel 95engage the endless chain cutting and breaking means 80, with the teethbeing received between the successive block links 81 thereof. Theendless chain cutting and breaking means 80 is driven by the sprocketwheel 95. The rotation of the sprocket wheel 95 is in a clockwisedirection, as viewed in FIG. 4, whereby the chain cutting and breakingmeans S0 is pulled down and over the guiding and supporting surface 86to maintain it in bearing engagement therewith during the cutting andbreaking operation.

The shaft 94 is formed with a shaft extension 96, to which there issecured a driven sprocket wheel 97. The pinion 37 is likewise formedwith a shaft extension 98, to which there is secured a driving sprocketwheel 99. The sprocket wheels 97, 99 are aligned with each other, and adrive chain 100 is engaged with the teeth of the sprocket wheels 97, 99to provide a driving connection. Thus, there is formed a driveconnection from the driving means of the main rotary cutting andbreaking means t0 the auxiliary cutting and breaking means, for drivingthe latter. The sprocket wheel 95 is disposed at the rear end of thesupport member 38, and in addition to driving the endless chain cuttingand breaking means 80, such sprocket wheel 95 also provides guiding andsupporting means for the endless chain cutting and breaking means at therear end of its path of movement.

In the operation of the mining machine 10 the boom 18 is raised todispose the mining apparatus 11 at the level of the top of the mineface. The mining machine 10 is then propelled forwardly to advance thecutting and breaking means of the mining apparatus 11 into the mineface. During such advance, the cutting and breaking means is operativeabout its transverse axis, whereby the cutting bits thereof cut andbreak the material of the mine face. Such mined material is fed inwardlytowards the longitudinal center line of the mining machine andrearwardly by the spiral flights 63, 64, and the material is dischargedout of the mine face ontothe mine floor, to be gathered by the gatheringmeans 13 and loaded into the conveyor 16.

When the cutting and breaking means of the mining apparatus 11 has beenadvanced the desired distance into the mine face, the forward movementof the mining machine 10 is stopped, and thereafter, the boom 18 ismoved downwardly, whereby the mining apparatus operates to furtherremove material from the mine face down to the bottom thereof at themine floor.

The end cutting and breaking means, comprising the bit holders 75 andtheir bits 76 are normally placed in fully extended position so that thecutting and breaking means of the mining apparatus 11 forms an openingin the mine seam that is wider than the maximum width of the miningmachine 10 behind the mining apparatus 11. This permits the miningmachine 10 to be propelled forwardly without interference with the ribat either side thereof. The end cutting and breaking means may beretracted when the mining machine 10 is trammed, s0 that this cuttingand breaking means does not contact the rib at either side of the miningmachine 1d.

The mining apparatus of this invention provides a highly effectivecutting and breaking means for removing material from a mine face, inwhich cutting and breaking bits are disposed at positions across thefull width of the mining apparatus. The drive means for the main cuttingand breaking means is connected to the latter on its transverse axis toprovide a highly effective power transmission for driving the maincutting and breaking means. The support members for the main cutting andbreaking means also form housings for the drive connections to the maincutting and breaking means. The auxiliary cutting and breaking means isdriven by drive connections from the driving means of the main cuttingand breaking means. By the construction of this invention, the maincutting and breaking means and the auxiliary cutting and breaking meansare both driven in such manner as to satisfy the power requirements forachieving a mining operation with a full Width mining apparatus.

Obviously those skilled in the art may make various changes in thedetails and arrangement of parts without departing from the spirit andscope of the invention as dened by the claims hereto appended, andapplicant therefore wishes not to be restricted to the preciseconstruction herein disclosed.

Having thus described and shown an embodiment of the invention, what itis desired to secure by letters Patent of the United States is:

1. Mining apparatus including a main cutting and breaking means adaptedto be advanced into the material of a mine face to remove said materialtherefrom, said main cutting and breaking means ybeing disposed on atransverse axis relatively to the direction of advance thereof into saidmaterial, means supporting said main cutting and breaking means formovement about said transverse axis, means for driving said main cuttingand breaking means, means connectinr said driving means to said maincutting and breaking means, portions of saidl main cutting and breakingmeans being spaced from each other along said transverse axis, saidconnecting means being disposed between said spaced portions of saidmain `cutting and breaking means, auxiliary cutting and breaking meansdisposed between said spaced portions of said main cutting and `breakingmeans, driving connection of said driving means to said auxiliarycutting and breaking means, guiding and supporting means for saidauxiliary cutting and breaking means and disposed between said spacedportions of said main cutting and breaking means, said drivingconnection including a driving element at the rear of said guiding andsupporting means and in engagement with said auxiliary cutting andbreaking means, and said auxiliary cutting and breaking means beingdriven by said driving element over said guiding and supporting meansand about said transverse axis.

2. Mining apparatus including a rotary cutting and breaking meansadapted to be advanced into the material of a mine face to remove saidmaterial therefrom, said rotary cutting and breaking means beingdisposed on a transverse axis relatively to the direction of advancethereof into said material, a housing for supporting said rotary cuttingand breaking means for rotation around said transverse axis, means fordriving said rotary cutting and breaking means, driving connection ofsaid driving means to said rotary cutting and breaking means, said gearmeans being disposed within said housing, portions of said rotarycutting and breaking means being spaced from each other along saidtransverse axis, said gear means and said housing being disposed betweensaid spaced portions of said rotary cutting and breaking means,auxiliary cutting and rbreaking means disposed between said spacedportions of said rotary cutting and breaking means, a portion of saidhousing forming a supporting and guiding means for said'auxiliarycutting and breaking means, driving connection of said driving means tosaid auxiliary cutting and breaking means, said auxiliary cutting andbreaking means being driven by said driving connection over saidsupporting and guiding portion of said housing and about said transverseaxis, said auxiliary cutting and breaking means including an endlesstiexible cutting and breaking means that extends around said housing,and said driving connection including a driving element disposed beyondsaid housing and engaged with said endless exible cutting and breakingmeans to drive the latter and to support and guide said endless exiblecutting and Ibreaking means'at the rear portion of its path of movementbeyond said housing.

3. Mining apparatusV including a rota-ry cutting and breaking meansadapted to be advanced into the material of a mine face to remove saidmaterial therefrom, said rotary cutting and breaking means beingdisposed on a transverse axis relatively to the direction of advancethereof into said material, means supporting said rotary cutting andbreaking means for rotation around said transverse axis, means for`driving said rotary cutting and breaking means, connecting said drivingmeans to said rotary cutting and breaking means, portions of said rotarycutting and breaking means being spaced from each other along saidtransverse axis, said connecting means being disposed between saidspaced portions of said rotary cutting and breaking means, endless chaincutting and breaking means disposed between said spaced portions of saidrotary cutting and breaking means, driv ing connection of said drivingmeans to said endless chain cutting and breaking means, guiding andsupporting means for said endless chain cutting and breaking means anddisposed between said spaced portions of said rotary cutting andbreaking means, said driving connection including a driving element atthe rear of said guiding and supporting means and in engagement withsaid endless chainV cutting and breaking means, and said endless chaincutting and breaking means being driven by said driving element oversaid guiding and supporting means and around said transverse axis in aportion of its path.

4. Mining apparatus as recited in claim 3 in which said supporting meanscomprises a fixed member, said rotary cutting and breaking meansincludes a shaft disposed on said transverse axis, and means rotatablymounting said shaft on said xed member.

5. Mining apparatus as recited in claim 4 in which said fixed membercomprises a housing, said means connecting said driving means to saidrotary cutting and breaking means being disposed -within said housing,and said guiding and supporting means for said endless chain cutting andbreaking means being formed on said housmg.

6. Mining apparatus including a rotary cutting and breaking meansadapted to be advanced into the material of a mine face to remove saidmaterial therefrom, said rotary cutting and breaking means beingdisposed on a transverse axis relatively to the direction of advancethereof into said material, means supporting said rotary cutting andbreaking means for rotation around Ysaid transverse axis, means 'fordriving said rota-ry cutting and breaking means, means connecting saiddriving means to said rotary cutting and breaking means, por-V verseaxis and between said spaced portions of said rotary Y cutting andbreaking means, said driving connectionincluding a driving element atthe rear of said lguiding and supporting means and in engagement withsaid endless chain cutting and breaking means, and said endless chain lcutting and breaking means being driven by said driving element wit-h aportion of the path thereof extending around Said transverse axis insaid circular arc.

7. Mining'apparatus as recited in claim 6 in which said endless chaincutting and breaking means comprises a plurality of links and laterallyextending pins connecting said links one to another forarticulationpthereof, and said endless chain and said drivingelementincluding interengaging portions thereof by which the drivingelement drives the endless chain cutting and breaking means. V Y V 8.Mining apparatus as recited in claim 7 in which said driving element isa sprocket formed with circumdt'erentially disposed teeth for engagingsaid endless chain cutting and breaking means and to support and guidethe latter at one end of its path.

9. Mining apparatus including a rotary cutting and breaking meansadapted to be advanced into the material of a mine face to remove saidmaterial therefrom, said rotary cutting and breaking means beingdisposed on a transverse axis relatively to the direction of advancethereof into said material, laterally spaced support members for saidrotary cutting and breaking means, an in` termediate portion of saidrotary cutting and breaking means 'being disposed between said supportmembers,

lrst and second outer portions of said rotary cutting and breaking meansone of which is disposed outwardly of one support member and the otherof which is disposed outwardly of another of said support members forrotation thereof around said transverse axis, means for drivf ing saidrotary cutting and breaking means, means connecting said driving meansto said rotary cutting and breaking means, said connecting means beingdisposed between said intermediate portion of said rotary cutting and-breaking means and each of said iirst and second outer portions ofVsaid rotary cutting and breaking means,

auxiliary cutting and breaking means disposed between said intermediateportion of said rotary cutting and breaking means and each of said rstand second outer portions of said rotary cutting and breaking means,driv-v ing connection of said driving means to said auxiliary cuttingand breaking means, guiding and supporting means for said auxiliarycutting and breaking means and disposed between said intermediateportion of said rotary cut-ting and breaking means and each of saidfirst and second outer portions of said rotary cutting and breakingmeans, said auxiliary cutting and :breaking means being driven by saiddriving connection over said guiding and supporting means and about saidtransverse axis, said guiding and supporting means comprising a portionof said support members extending around said transverse axis, and saiddriving connection comprises driving elements at the rear of saidsupport members disposed in driving engagement with said auxiliarycutting and breaking means.

10. Mining apparatus as recited in claim 9 in which said first andsecond outer portions of said rotary cutitng and breaking means eachincludes an extensible and retractable Vcutting and breaking element,and means for extending and .retracting said cutting and breakingelcment to lengthen and shorten said rotary cutting and breaking means,respectively.

11. Mining apparatus as recited in claim 9 in which said auxiliarycutting and breaking means comprises endless articulated chains, saiddriving elements comprise driving wheels, said endless articulatedchains and said driving wheels including interengaging elements by whichthe driving wheels drive the endless articulated chains.

12. Mining apparatus including a rotary cutting and breaking meansadapted to be advanced into the material of a mine face to remove saidmaterial therefrom, said Irotary cutting and breaking means beingdisposed on a transverse axis relatively to the direction of advancethereof into said material, first and second laterally spaced supportmembers for said rotary cutting and breaking means each composing ahousing, an intermediate portion of said rotary cutting and breakingmeans being disposed between said rst and second support members, firstand second outer portions of said rotary cutting and breaking meansdisposed outwardly of said rst and second support members, respectively,for rotation of the rotary cutting and breaking means around saidtransverse axis, means for driving said rotary cutting and breakingmeans, first and second means connecting said driving means to saidrotary cutting and breaking means and disposed in the housings -of saidirst and second support mem-bers, respectively, first and secondauxiliary cutting and breaking means disposed |between said intermediateportion of said rotary cutting and breaking means and said first andsecond outer portions of said rotary cutting and breaking means,respectively, rst and second driving connections of said driving meansto said rst and second auxiliary cutting and breaking means, said irstand second support members each being formed with guiding and supportingsurfaces for said auxiliary cutting and breaking means and each disposedin an arc about said transverse axis, said iirst and second auxiliarycutting and breaking means being driven by said irst and second drivingconnections over said guiding and supporting surfaces and about saidtransverse axis, and said iirst and second driving connections eachincluding a driving element at the rear of said rst and second supportmembers, respectively, and said driving elements engaging said auxiliarycutting and breaking means and supporting and guiding Ithe latter at oneend of the path of movement thereof.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,044,753 7/ 1962Wilcox 299-87 X 3,050,295 8/1962 Osgood 299-82 X 3,062,518 1l/l962Osgood 299-64 3,157,438 11/1964 Lundquist 299-82 ERNEST R. PURSER,Primary Examiner.

1. MINING APPARATUS INCLUDING A MAIN CUTTING AND BREAKING MEANS ADAPTEDTO BE ADVANCED INTO THE MATERIAL OF A MINE FACE TO REMOVE SAID MATERIALTHEREFROM, SAID MAIN CUTTING AND BREAKING MEANS BEING DISPOSED ON ATRANSVERSE AXIS RELATIVELY TO THE DIRECTION OF ADVANCE THEREOF INTO SAIDMATERIAL, MEANS SUPPORTING SAID MAIN CUTTING AND BREAKING MEANS FORMOVEMENT ABOUT SAID TRANSVERSE AXIS, MEANS FOR DRIVING SAID MAIN CUTTINGAND BREAKING MEANS, MEANS CONNECTING SAID DRIVING MEANS TO SAID MAINCUTTING AND BREAKING MEANS, PORTIONS OF SAID MAIN CUTTING AND BREAKINGMEANS BEING SPACED FROM EACH OTHER ALONG SAID TRANSVERSE AXIS, SAIDCONNECTING MEANS BEING DISPOSED BETWEEN SAID SPACED PORTIONS OF SAIDMAIN CUTTING AND BREAKING MEANS, AUXILIARY CUTTING AND BREAKING MEANSDISPOSED BETWEEN SAID SPACED PORTIONS OF SAID MAIN CUTTING AND BREAKINGMEANS, DRIVING CONNECTION OF SAID DRIVING MEANS TO SAID AUXILIARYCUTTING AND BREAKING MEANS, GUIDING AND SUPPORTING MEANS FOR SAIDAUXILIARY CUTTING AND BREAKING MEANS AND DISPOSED BETWEEN SAID SPACEDPORTIONS OF SAID MAIN CUTTING AND BREAKING MEANS, SAID DRIVINGCONNECTION INCLUDING A DRIVING ELEMENT AT THE REAR OF SAID GUIDING ANDSUPPORTING MEANS AND IN ENGAGEMENT WITH SAID AUXILIARY CUTTING ANDBREAKING MEANS, AND SAID AUXILIARY CUTTING AND BREAKING MEANS BEINGDRIVEN BY SAID DRIVING ELEMENT OVER SAID GUIDING AND SUPPORTING MEANSAND ABOUT SAID TRANSVERSE AXIS.